Annealing spider



June 24, 1952 e. MILLER, III

ANNEALING SPIDER FiledJan. 5, 1950 Cittomegsl Patented June 24, 1952 ANN EALING SPIDER Ransom G. Miller, IH, Stratford, Conn., assignor to The Alfred B. King Company, New Haven, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application January 5, 1950, Serial No. 136,963

9 Claims. (01. 263-49) This invention relates to a coil spider or coilsupporting arbor for supporting coils of wire or rod for handling such coils during annealing or similar work thereon.

In a device for this purpose it is desirable to provide an arbor or spider which will be sufficiently strong for supporting a number of coils of rod or wire so that they may be handled expeditiously by a hoist or like mechanism, and to provide the spider with means by which it may be connected with the hoist. Also it is desirable to so construct the spider that it will not tend to warp or be distorted by the heat to which it is necessarily subjected, and also to construct it in such a way that there will be a free flow of hot gases around the material upon the arbor or spider so that the coils will be evenly and efficiently heated. It is also desirable that the arbor be so constructed that the coils may be readily received upon it and stripped therefrom when the operation has been completed, and that the coils be so supported upon the arbor that they be maintained in circular form and not permitted to be distorted from their round shape.

To effect the above results, I have devised a spider or arbor as shown in the present application which comprises a central tubular member or pipe surrounded by a plurality of smaller pipes. Each of the smaller pipes abuts the larger upon the outer circumference of the latter so as to provide a braced construction which will hold its shape under the conditions to which the arbor is subjected, and the use of tubular mem-- bers provides a strong cross-sectional shape which resists bending.

The central tubular member is somewhat shorter than those upon the exterior in order that the latter may be displaced inwardly at their upper ends to provide a taper for the upper end of the arbor in order that'the coils may be easily placed thereon, and a relatively large number (eight as shown in the drawings) of smaller pipes are used about the circumference of the large central pipe in order that a large number of contacts will be made with the inner circumference of the coils so that the latter will be held in their normal round shape. Moreover, the use of circular members to construct the arbor provides a line contact between the inner and the outer pipes and point contacts with the wire coils 'so that the greatest possible amount of air space will be provided for the hot gases.

Plates or flanges are provided at the upper and lower ends of the arbor, which plates are provided with openings registering with the pipes to permit circulation therethrough and the lower plate is also provided with openings between the pipes to permit the passage of gases upwardly along the surface of the coils. Also, the central pipe is provided with a plurality of open: ings between the outside pipes for the reception of a hook or the like of a hoisting mechanism to facilitate handling of the spider when it is desired to unload it by turning it upside down.

One object of the present invention is to provide an annealing arbor or spider of improved construction and design.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described which will be so constructed as to reduce so far as possible the metal-to-metal contact between the spider. and the coils and at the same time provide a strong construction which will not be likely to be warped or distorted when in use.

A still further object of the invention is to pro-vide an arbor or spider of the character described which will have provision for free circulation of the hot gases through the various elements of the spider itself and also around the coils so that the latter may be evenly and efiiciently heated.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an arbor o-r spider of the class described which will be constructed of tubular elements so that it will be of strong cross-sectional form, and to so arrange the elements themselves that they will be properly braced against each other in order that the device will maintain its shape in use.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an annealing arbor or spider embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectionalview on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the upper base plate.

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, I have shown an annealing arbor or spider which comprises a base plate It] provided with a relatively large central circular opening H and a plurality (eight in number as shown in the drawings) of smaller openings [2 spaced about the larger central opening. Spaced between the openings l2, which are circular in shape, are an equal number of openings or notches l3 which extend through the base plate N3, the purpose of Which will be explained here inafter.

The lower end of a relatively large central tube or pipe [4 is inserted into the opening II and welded to the base plate ID as shown at 15. The base plate, as shown, is of sufficient thickness so that the member I4 is inserted only part way through the same in order to leave sufficient metal to make a strong weld. The pipe [4 thus forms the core of the arbor and projects upward- 1y from the opening H in the base plate It so that the hot gases may flow therethrough.

A plurality of smaller tubular members or pipes I! are placed about the periphery of the central element M, the lower ends of these pipes abutting the base plate I and standing over the openings l2'so that these openings communicate with the interior of the pipes l1. As shown there are eight of the latter pipes which, as illustrated in Fig. 3, abut in a line-to-line contact against the central pipe [4 and these outer pipes'may be welded to the pipe 14 and to the base.

As shown more especially in Fig. 2, the pipes i! are somewhat longer than the central pipe [4 and are bent inwardly at their upper ends, as shown at 18, so that the arbor will be tapered to some extent at its upper end in order to facilitate the slipping of the coils thereon. It will be, of course, understood that the central pipe as well as the outside pipes are open at both ends to permit the passage of hot gases therethrough.

Welded to the upper inwardly displaced ends of the pipes I1 is an upper'plate which will be of somewhat smaller diameter than the lower plate l0 and preferably of such diameter that its circumference will be substantially flush with the outer sides of the pipes H. The plate 20 is provided with eight openings 2| which register with the openings at the upper ends of the pipes H so that the gases will not be confined therein, and is also provided with a central opening 22 for the insertion of a hook or the like of a hoisting mechanism. A reinforcing ring 23 may be secured by welding or the like to the lower face of the upper plate 28, which ring surrounds the opening 22 and reinforces the upper plate 20 against damage or distortion from the hook.

Adjacent the base of the central pipe I4 and between the spaced outer pipes I! are provided a plurality of rectangular openings 24. It is sometimes desirable to turn the arbor upside down to unload the spider by permitting the coils to drop therefrom, and, in such event, it has been found convenient to provide these openings 24 to receive the hooks of the hoisting mechanism.

In the use of the device, the coils are slipped upon the upper tapered end of the arbor and allowed to drop thereon and rest upon the base plate or flange [8, as shown in Fig. 1, the coils being indicated in dotted lines at 25. It will be noted that such coils would make substantially point contacts with the outer pipes I! and that the openings I3 will lie within the inner circumference of the coils so that these openings will not be closed but'will permit the hot gases to pass upwardly through the base about the coils. Moreover, openings are provided in both upper and lower base plates at the ends. of the outer pipes ll to permit the gases to pass therethrough and likewise gases may enter the central pipe l4 through the opening H and pass out of this pipe through the upper open end thereof.

It will also be noted that the outer smaller pipes I1 abut the central pipe along line contacts so as to reduce the contacting surfaces so far as possible and at the same time provide a rigid construction of the proper cross-sectional shape to offer the greatest resistance against bending and distortion. Also the point contact between the coils and the spider will greatly reduce the friction during loading and unloading the spider. The use of a relatively large number of the outer pipes supports the coils at a sufficient number of points to maintain them in their circular shape which would not be the case if only a small number is used, but at the same time does not obstruct the free flow of gases around the coils-and between the elements of the arbor to permit the proper treatment of the coils. The rigid construction provided by the arrangement illustrated resists the deformation of the arbor in use.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that it is not to be limited to all of the details shown, but is capable of modification and variation within the spiritof the invention and within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A coil-supporting spider comprising a base plate, a central tubular member secured to and extending upwardly from the base plate, and a plurality'of outer tubular members secured in spaced relation to the base plate and to the outer surface of said first tubular member, said outer tubular members having their axes substantially parallel to that of the first member and being in contact with the outer surface thereof, said base plate having an opening registering with that of said central tubular member and additional openings registering respectively with those of the outer tubular members.

2. A coil-supporting spider comprising a base plate, a central tubular member secured to and extending upwardly from the base plate, and a plurality of outer tubular members secured to the outer surface of said first tubular member, said outer tubular members having their axes substantially parallel to that of the first member and being in contact with the outer surface thereof,

' said base plate having openings registering with those of said outer tubular members to permit circulation therethrough.

3. A coil-supporting spider comprising a base plate, a central tubular member secured to and extending upwardly from the base plate, a plurality of outer tubular members secured in spaced relation about said central tubular member with their axes parallel to the axis thereof and their walls in line contact with the walls of said central member, and an upper plate to which the ends of said outer tubular members are secured, said plates having openings registering with the ends of the outer tubes to permit circulation of gases therethrough.

4. A coil-supporting spider comprising a base plate, a central tubular member secured toand extending upwardly 'from the base plate, a plurality of outer tubular members secured in spaced relation about said central tubular member with their axes parallel to the axis thereof and their walls in line contact with the walls of said central member, and an upper plate to which the ends of said outer tubular members are secured, said plates having openings registering with the ends of the outer tubes to permit circulation of gases therethrough, and said base plate having an opening registering with said central tubular member.

5. A coil-supporting spider comprising a base plate, a central tubular member secured to and extending upwardly from the base plate, a plurality of outer tubular members secured in spaced relation about said central tubular member with their axes parallel to the axis thereof and their walls in line contact with the walls of said central member, and an upper plate to which the ends of said outer tubular members are. secured, said plates having openings registering with the ends of the outer tubes to permit circulation of gases therethrough, and said base plate having openings between said outer tubular members to permit circulation of gases therealong.

6. A coil-supporting spider comprising a base plate, a central tubular member secured to and extending upwardly from the base plate, a plurality olf outer tubular members secured in spaced relation about said central tubular member with their axes parallel to the axis thereof and their walls in line contact with the walls of said central member, and an upper plate to which the ends of said outer tubular members are secured, said plates having openings registering with the ends of the outer tubular members said outer tubular members being longer than said central member so as to project therebeyond, and the projecting ends of said outer tubular members being displaced inwardly to provide a tapered end portion for the arbor.

7. A coil-supporting spider comprising a base plate, a central tubular member secured to and extending upwardly from the base plate, a plurality of outer tubular members secured in spaced relation about said central tubular member with their axes parallel to the axis thereof and their walls in line contact with the walls of said central member, and an upper plate to which the ends of said outer tubular members are secured, said plates having openings registering with the ends of the outer tubular members said outer tubular members being longer than said central member so as to project therebeyond, and the projecting ends of said outer tubular members being displaced inwardly to provide a tapered end portion for the arbor, said central tubular member having a plurality of openings through the wall thereoif adjacent the base plate, said openings being disposed between said outer tubular members.

8. A coil-supporting spider comprising a base plate, a central tubular member secured to and extending upwardly from the base plate, a plurality of outer tubular members secured in spaced relation about said central tubular member with their axes parallel to the axis thereof and their walls in line contact with the walls of said central member, an upper plate to which the ends of said outer tubular members are secured, said base plate having openings registering with the lower ends of said central tube and said outer tubes, and said upper plate having openings registering with the upper ends of said outer tubes, and the upper end of said central tube being open to permit circulation of gases through the tubes.

9. A coil-supporting spider comprising a base plate, a central tubular member secured to and extending upwardly from the base plate, a plurality of outer tubular members secured in spaced relation about said central tubular member with their axes parallel to the axis thereof and their walls in line contact with the walls of said central member, an upper plate to which the ends of said outer tubular members are secured, said base plate having openings registering with the lower ends of said central tube and said outer tubes, and said upper plate having openings registering with the upper ends of said outer tubes, and the upper end of said central tube being open to permit circulation of gases through the tubes, said base plate having openings therethrough between said outer tubes and located without the wall of said central tube to permit passage of gases outwardly along the outer surfaces of the walls of all said tubes.

RANSONI G. MILLER, III.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 415,391 Matteson Nov. 19, 1889 2,278,109 Karp et al Mar. 31, 1942 2,310,991 Pierce Feb. 16, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 10,989 Great Britain 1886 

